New "national wolf day" in Sweden

Some Swedes are celebrating this as national wolf day - an initiative of the Swedish Predators Association and the Nordic Wolf Society.

This is a response to the controversial culling of 20 Swedish wolves this year.

The government argues that the present wolf population must remain at around 200 because of opposition from sheep and reindeer herders and hunters losing their dogs to wolves. The government adds that more room must be made to import new wolf blood from Finland and Russia because of inbreeding here.

Others maintain that the Swedish wolf is an endangered species and should be allowed to grow in number as a rightful inhabitant of this Nordic nation after almost disappearing.

Criticism against the Swedish wolf cull has come from inside and outside of Sweden, including from the European Union, which is threatening to take Sweden to court.